Hello Friends!
Welcome Back. This week we will examine the third element found in John 8:21-30 that defines how a person can die in sin - being unbelieving...
Being Unbelieving
In John 8:24 Jesus says:
"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
So the third way to guarantee you will die in your sins is to be unbelieving of the gospel. You don't have to go out and kill someone and be bad to go to hell, because hell is not just for criminals, it is for everyone and anyone who refuses Christ. If you refuse Christ in this life, God isn't going to force you to dwell with Him forever in eternity.
You you say, "What am I supposed to believe?" There was once a popular song called "I believe," which kept repeating the words "I believe," I believe what? How about the song "I believe in Music." If that is all you believe in, you're in trouble! We find the same kind of vague or misdirected faith when we ask people, "Do you believe in Christ?" And they respond, "Yeah, I believe in Christ, He lived and so forth."
But Jesus had something more definite in mind. Notice what He says throughout John 6:
"Unless you believe that I am He."
It isn't enough to believe that Jesus is the One you think He is; you must believe that He is the One He claimed to be. He claimed to be God by such phrases as:
"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never thirst" (John 6:35)
"I am the Light of the world" (John 8:12)
"I am the door" (John 10:9)
"I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11)
"I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25)
"I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6)
Because Jesus was identifying Himself with God, saving faith not only becomes a question of turning from sin, but trusting the Son as well. It's a question of believing that Jesus is who He claimed to be. You may ask, "Am I going to die in my sin unless I believe that Jesus is all that He claimed to be?" That's right. You ought to find out who He claimed to be, for Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing a message about Christ. You can never have true faith unless you hear the truth about Christ. True faith is the result of hearing and believing with your heart that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that God verified that claim by raising Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Jesus promises His opponents that they will die with their sin unforgiven if they do not believe He is who He claims to be - God in human flesh. Not to believe and turn away shatters hope and leaves only hell's gloomy foreboding. You may also ask, "So, how does one become a Christian?" I'm glad you asked! The gospel is simple, but many will miss out. You must believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be: God in human flesh, the Savior who died for your sin and rose again, defeating death and the grave. A person can go to hell and remain there eternally for not believing those few things. Faith in Christ comes by hearing a message about Him, and if you haven't heard enough, then you ought to read some more or find someone who can tell you. There is no sense in going to hell for something you failed to do, because not believing is the same thing as rejecting:
"He who is not with Me, is against Me" (Matthew 12:30)
Don't be like the Pharisees who should have known, but continued to mock.
Please join us next week as we conclude this series with the fourth way to die in your sin...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Welcome Back. This week we will examine the second element found in John 8:21-30 that defines how a person can die in sin - being earthbound...
Being Earthbound
In John 8:23 Jesus says:
"I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world."
Here Jesus draws another contrast. He tells the Pharisees that hey are part of the world system of which He is not. The term "world" simply refers to the invisible spiritual realm of evil. We use the word to identify a particular system, such as the world of politics, the world of sports, and so on. The system Jesus has in mind here is the system of evil opposed to God and Christ. If you want to guarantee that you will die in your sin, just be a slave to this world system and accept whatever it offers. Then you can be classified as "sons of this age" (Luke 16:8) entrapped in "this present evil age," from which Jesus seeks to deliver man (Galatians 1:4). Opposed to the Truth of God, the world propagates its own self-righteous systems.
You could characterize the system in this way: it is materialistic and humanistic, believing that man is going to solve his problems by himself and rule his own fate; it is lost in preoccupation with sex; it is plagued by carnal ambition, pride, greed, jealousy, envy, self-pleasure, selfish desire, murder, and so on. Its opinions are wrong, its aims are selfish, its pleasures are sinful, its influences are demoralizing, its politics are corrupt, its honors are empty, its smiles are phony and its love is fickle. Furthermore, it is in the process of dissolution; according to 1 John 2:17, "the world is passing away." It will self-destruct.
Jesus identifies those mocking Him as being a part of the world system. They were sinful, selfish, earthbound souls, who were controlled by the dictates of the evil system run by Satan. They had separated themselves from Jesus Christ with a gulf in between them that was impassable. Even though they were religious, and maybe even humanitarian at heart, they were still a part of Satan's evil system opposed to God. In essence, Jesus is simply saying to them, "You're going to die in your sins for two reasons: number one, you are self-righteous, and number two, you are totally engulfed in the system - you buy whatever the world is selling." We must choose a better way.
Please join us next week as we examine a third way to die in sin...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Over the next four weeks we will investigate the most important question an individual will be confronted with in their life time - "Where will I go when I die?" The Holy Scriptures give us the only two options available... heaven or hell. Each one of us will decide for ourselves which we will choose, ultimately determining our eternal destiny once we pass from this life. We will examine what the Bible requires of anyone choosing heaven as their final destination, as well as the main hindrances that will cause many souls to be deceived into an eternity in hell apart from God. It is my heart's cry that you would choose heaven over hell, good over evil - God over Satan...
Heaven or Hell: Which Will You Choose?
It's wonderful when a person comes to Jesus Christ - they no longer are under the tyranny of sin and guilt or of lust and desire - and they no longer are under the bondage of a purposeless and meaningless kind of existence. Christ not only gives meaning to life, but also restores harmony to our spiritual lives by completely forgiving our sin. Now, what happens when someone does not want to establish a relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ? If receiving Jesus Christ results in an abundant and eternal life, then not receiving Jesus Christ results in the curse of God. No one ever went to hell who didn't choose to go there, the Bible is clear on that fact. However, God isn't going to force Himself eternally on someone who doesn't want Him.
In this series, we will examine four elements that show how a person can die in their sin eternally separated from God. They are found in the Gospel of John chapter 8, verses 21-30. It is not my desire, nor is it Jesus' desire, for anyone to enter hell, for God is "not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). It is not condemnation, but rather warning that Jesus speaks in these verses.
This week we will examine the first element - self-righteousness...
Being Self-Righteous
The first way to guarantee that you will die in your sins and not go to the Father's house in heaven with Jesus is to be convinced that you don't need to be saved, that you are spiritually all right. By far, those who deny their need of a Savior are the most difficult to reach. People who claim to be righteous apart from Christ by saying, "I belong to this special religious group," or "I'm one of the 144,000," or "I've got my papers that say I'm a righteous person," are only deceiving themselves. Self-righteous people, who have developed a system that they believe gives them the right to enter God's presence, are the hardest people to convince that they need a Savior because they already feel they are fine. Satan is clever. When he puts together a phony system based on human achievement and works-righteousness, he does it in such a complex and supposedly Biblical way that it is tremendously deceiving. People become captivated in cults and falsely assume they can gain righteousness by what they do. But no one ever comes to Jesus Christ who doesn't see Him as a Savior who takes away sin and himself as a sinner who needs his sin taken away.
The Jews that Jesus confronts in the Scriptures are clearly self-righteous, as you can discern this from their answers. In John 8:22, Jesus had just given them a loving warning, and their response is a mocking joke:
"So the Jews were saying, 'Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says "Where I am going, you cannot come"?"
They implied that Jesus was going to commit suicide. The Jews believed suicide was the worst sin, for which the blackest part of Hades was reserved. People who had killed themselves had no possibility of ever entering "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:22). Therefore, the Jews concluded that if Jesus killed Himself, He would be going to Hades, the opposite place to where they assumed they were going. They didn't even understand what Jesus was really saying. They were so self-righteous, having systematized their religion so carefully, that they believed that they were the ones who would populate heaven. Nevertheless, Jesus mercifully warns them with an announcement of impending doom. How deaf could they be? If you read the whole New Testament, you would be hard-pressed to find a story of the conversion of a Pharisee. There are a few, but not many because they were such hard people to reach with the Biblical Truth.
These Jews were correct in concluding that Jesus was going to die. However, they were completely wrong in thinking that His death was going to be by suicide. Rather, it was going to be a self-sacrificial, voluntary offering of Himself to be crucified for our sins. Acts 2:23 says:
"This Man, delivered over by the hands of godless men and put Him to death."
It was murder, not suicide. He was a willing victim, laying down His life in order to accomplish redemption.
Self-righteousness is the big lie of Satan. The truth is you are saved by Christ; the lie is you are saved by anything other than Christ. That lie can come in all kinds of packages: you can be saved by following certain rules, doing specific religious routines, belonging to a particular system, being good enough to outweigh your shortcomings - there's a myriad of possible systems to counter the one Truth, and they are all part of Satan's big lie. If Satan can get someone into a system that says they are righteous, it's very hard to extract them from it. One reason is that self-righteousness is very proud. In Job 12:2, I am reminded of what Job said to those who judged him:
"Truly then you are the people, and with you wisdom will die."
Proverbs 12:15 says:
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes."
Luke 16:15 says:
"That which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God."
When men believe Satan's lie and develop a system that is highly esteemed in their eyes, it is an abomination to God. Salvation can never be earned by good works and in keeping religious rituals.
So, the first way to die in your sins is to be self-righteous and laugh at anyone who talks about sin or hell. The world does that all the time. It mocks Jesus, making a joke out of His warnings about hell. It refuses to admit its sin and its need of Christ's forgiveness as it trusts in good works or self-made religion for salvation. A person who gets wrapped up into the kind of self-righteous systems that the world offers, whether it is a religious institution like Mormonism or Jehovah's Witnesses, or one's own self-made system, can become very belligerent once he becomes committed to it.
For example, there was an article that was written by a man who after he had heard Billy Graham preach, said:
"After hearing Dr. Billy Graham on the air, viewing him on the television, and seeing reports and letters concerning his mission, I am heartily sick of the type of religion that insists my soul and everyone else's needs saving - whatever that means. I have never felt that I was lost nor do I feel that I daily wallow in the mire of sin, although repetitious preaching insists that I do. Give me a practical religion that teaches gentleness and tolerance, that acknowledges no barriers of color or creed, that remembers the aged and teaches children goodness and not sin. If in order to save my soul I must accept such a philosophy as I have recently heard preached, I prefer to remain forever dammed."
Now that's a precarious position to be in. Evidently this man has developed a system in which he believes he has attained self-righteousness before God, and therefore fearlessly mocks the Truth.
That letter exactly reflects the attitude of the Pharisees and scribes. Desiring to give a correct analysis of the situation, in John 8:23 Jesus responds to their mockery:
"And He was saying to them, 'You are from below, I am from above'"
Jesus understood their intention in mocking Him that He was going to kill Himself and go to Hades. But Jesus says, in effect, "It is you who are from Hades; I am from above. You've got it reversed." With this cutting reply, Jesus does not mean that they were literally from Hades; He means that their unbelief, hypocrisy, false religion, ignorance, and willful self-righteousness were spawned from the enemy of our souls. He makes the distinction clear that they are following Satan while He is following God. They were, like all unbelieving people are in this world, from beneath in the sense that they were part of the evil system.
In John 8:44, Jesus said to them:
"You are of your father the devil."
Ephesians 2:2 tells us that such people operate their lives:
"...according to the prince of the power of the air."
Whereas the unbeliever is unknowingly guided by Satan from beneath, the believer is guided from above because his citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and he positionally resides in "heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3 & 2:6). We are connected to either heaven or hell while we are alive by virtue of who we identify with here and now. So Jesus, warning the Pharisees, puts things in perspective, saying in effect, "Your roots run downward to Hades because your lifestyle makes it manifest. You had better recognize the source of your religious system." If you want to die in your sin, just follow the Pharisee's attitude: believe you don't need Christ as your Savior, assume you are okay, have solved all your problems, and have attained righteousness. Convince yourself of that and you will die in your sins, eternally separated from God and heaven.
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Welcome Back. In this final segment of our series, we will investigate the reasons naturalism survives today and what can be done to circumvent its influence in our lives. Enjoy!
Why Naturalism Survives
Despite massive amounts of scientific and philosophical arguments against it, the worldview of naturalism and the idea of evolution persist. Today there is a huge cloud of doubt hanging over the science of evolution. As Christians, we must pursue this information and honestly explore and openly criticize it when we see it for what it is.
It is all part of defending what we believe and know to be true. Disclosing such faulty ideas helps us make the case for the authenticity of the biblical account of the origin of life (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Evolution and naturalism as a belief about the origin and development of life is being shown by scientists to be no explanation for the origin of life at all. How then do we account for its persistence as the only explanation for the origin and diversification of life in the textbooks our students must read in our public schools?
The first reason is that those promoting evolution and naturalism are in control. They currently control the debate on the issues and they control what goes into the textbooks. They do not include any other explanations for life because they don't want to. This intellectual dishonesty has been enabled by those of us who believe in God and creation, as we have abdicated our responsibility long ago for intellectual rigor on the major issues of our times. Basically, we walked away; they took over, and now we find it a stronghold in the educational process that is very difficult to deal with. Also, many of us have succumbed to the false idea of neutrality and thus backed off on defending the Christian position - only to allow these secularists to now be able to impose their religion on the education system and thus generations of our children.
The second reason evolution persists is because it is absolutely necessary for the philosophical worldview of naturalism. The real battle about evolution is not one of operational science, but of philosophy. The belief in evolution as an explanation for the origin of life is religious - it is man's attempt to explain life without God. The religion of naturalism (or atheism) that is being taught to generations of students is the philosophy that attempts to totally remove God from all aspects of our lives. For the naturalist, there is no God, no supernatural, and no life beyond death. That is their philosophical starting point - one, they are not prepared to question, regardless of the evidence that conflicts with it.
As Dr. Carl Sagan said:
"The Cosmos is all there ever was or ever will be."
This is the naturalistic mantra. And it becomes very circular in its reasoning. People believe in evolution because of the naturalistic worldview (naturalism is the focal point for their starting point but in reality, man being the ultimate authority is the underlying starting point). But the same people who believe in the naturalist worldview say they do so because of evolution. In reality, because they won't question their naturalistic starting point, they won't question evolution. See the problem? Why is it important? Why should anyone care?
1. The growing issues of concern in our culture have as their foundational cause the transition from a Christian worldview to principles now based on naturalism. The question about life's origin is used to justify this wrong foundation. Lose the battle here and you lost that battle in its entirety.
2. The philosophical assumptions of those who teach your children have the power, if left unchecked, to determine their eternal destiny. This might scare you. It should! Those who control the textbooks and curriculum of our public education system have capitulated to naturalistic thinking and God has been removed, and we are paying the price.
Currently, we are losing the battle. By and large, we send or children away each morning to government (public) schools, or have sent them to secular colleges or universities, to be inculcated with the subtle but pervasive ideas about naturalism and any other number of godless philosophies.
Lately, however, the subtlety of those who promote naturalism as the philosophy behind public education has been replaced by militancy - and our students and parents are increasingly feeling it. The goal of the current educational philosophy is certainly not neutral as is claimed (Matthew 12:30).
We can see that more clearly as militancy emerges. The new goal is to convince students there is no such thing as transcendent or supernatural truths. The only source of truth is man, and God doesn't exist.
Of course, students are told that "science" confirms this naturalistic position. However, students are not being taught the distinction between historical science (beliefs about the past) and operational science (knowledge based on observation, repeatability, and experimentation that builds technology). Students have been led to believe that if they don't believe in naturalism, they are giving up the science that built our technology. Sadly, this brainwashing in false ideas has had a devastating effect on these students. They, in essence, have been thoroughly indoctrinated in a secular worldview and convinced that this is a neutral position that is supported by unbiased scientists who are merely seeking the truth.
So, what can we do about this? By systematically training our children from a Biblical starting point, we can instill in them the necessary components of a Biblical worldview. We must also consider that none of these arguments matter if our children are not followers of Jesus Christ. Preaching the Gospel to them and helping them understand the true nature of repentance and faith in Christ alone for salvation is a crucial starting point. As we teach them apologetics and help them learn how to study the Bible to feed their own souls, we will be fostering a faith that will withstand the attacks from the world. We can help them understand the philosophies that have set themselves up against Christ and that through the empowering of the Holy Spirit they can successfully fight these battles. Firmly grounding their worldview in the Scriptures offers them the blessed hope and assurance that they can conquer the challenges from the world.
Assurance of the Blessed Hope
When a person lives in the blessed hope, it gives him the assurance of eternal life with the Lord Jesus. It also gives him the assurance of returning with the Lord Jesus Christ as one on the clouds of heaven. According to the Bible, this assurance is obtained by realizing that God loves you and that He wants you to have eternal life with Him. God personally cares about you and desires that you have eternal life with Him.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
The way of believing in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is to repent of sin and to trust Him completely as your Lord and Savior. When you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, all your sin is forgiven by God, for Jesus paid the penalty on the cross for your sins. Without repentance of sin and the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it is impossible to have eternal life with God.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)
When you confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are now to live with the expectation of His second coming in your heart. This is the blessed hope; the expectation of the second coming of the Lord Jesus and being with Him forever. It is the evidence that you will be with the Lord Jesus when He returns with the clouds of heaven.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
The Lord Jesus has paid the penalty for your sin by His blood shed on the cross. God has provided a way for you to have eternal life with Him. The Christian faith is about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, not a religious system of works or unreasonable requirements that no one could possibly live up to. Right now you can turn to God by prayer through faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Please do not put this off, because now is the day of salvation and time is running out...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Welcome Back. This week we will investigate the worldview of naturalism and some of the many aspects of its foundation. Enjoy!
The Worldview of Naturalism
Contrary to the Christian worldview is the worldview of naturalism (which is an essential tenant in similar worldviews such as humanism, materialism and atheism). Keep in mind that when a person mixes naturalistic thinking with God's Word, their starting point is really man's word. Once fallibility is introduced into one's starting point - then that starting point is man's word, even if it is mixed with God's revelation. As was mentioned in the beginning of this series, there are ultimately only two worldviews.
The thinking behind naturalism goes something like this: the world and universe as you see it is all there is. There is no God, no Creator, no one to whom humans give an account of their lives. The naturalist believes death marks the end of life in this world with no prospect of life beyond, in any form. For the naturalist, the universe is a closed system and therefore there is no need for humans to seek the involvement of a transcendent being.
Naturalism is a worldview that assumes it has succeeded at getting God out of the picture in every area of life. It is also intent in getting the Biblical God and His written revelation out of our educational process. In large measure, it has been very successful due to an often subtle influence as well as an overt and militant influence. The naturalistic worldview is the basis for the development of the public education curriculum of our public schools. As Ben Stein so aptly but it - God has been "expelled."
I contend that for the most part, this is a subtle fact among educators today. I doubt that most of them are even aware that they are part of the naturalist indoctrination. Try asking this question of your public school leadership: "What is the worldview or educational philosophy behind the curriculum of your school?" They will probably find it hard if not impossible to answer. If probed, they may think that Judeo-Christian principles are at the core of our public education system curriculum. Many educators are committed to the "Character Counts" movement, which borrows certain Christian values, but is completely mute on the source of those values.
Honestly, I believe that many educators would be greatly concerned if they were aware of the naturalistic presuppositions beneath their work. One of the problems is they have been convinced that including God and His Word (the Bible) is religion, but eliminating them results in a neutral position. They don't understand there is no neutral position! One is either "for Christ or against Him." What they perceive wrongly as a neutral position is in reality an anti-God position - it is a religious position - the religion of naturalism/atheism. We have much work to be done in pointing this out to the Church, let alone the secular world.
The naturalistic worldview holds steadfastly to the idea of evolution and the millions of years, as "the" explanation of the origin of life. The two are virtually inseparable in the Western mindset. If there is no God, and if the physical reality is all there is, then life must have come into being by itself... and somehow. That's where evolution (which means millions of years to even be postulated) comes in. What is "evolution"? Dr. Michael Behe, who is basically a theistic evolutionist but is against pure naturalism, in Darwin's Black Box, defines it this way:
Evolution is a flexible word. It can be used by one person to mean something as simple as change over time, or by another person to mean the descent of all life forms from a common ancestor, leaving the mechanism of change unspecified. In its full-throated, biological sense, however, evolution means a process whereby life arose from non-living matter and subsequently developed entirely by natural means. That is the sense that Darwin gave the world, and the meaning that it holds in the scientific community.
Join us next week as we discover why naturalism survives in our culture and what we can do about it...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Welcome Back. This week we will investigate the worldview of Christianity and some of the many aspects of Scripture that provides its foundation. Enjoy!
The Christian Worldview
The content of a Biblical Christian worldview must be well developed and be solidly built on the authority of Scripture. You need to know the basic time-honored truths of the scriptural history and doctrine that serve as a basis for Christian theism - a Biblical understanding of the character and nature of God and the true history of the universe as revealed by Him in His Word. Here is a short list of the many aspects of Scripture that provide a foundation for our worldview:
- He (through His Son, Jesus Christ) created the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing) because He is the sovereign God.
- Though He is transcendent, He is personal and immanent and longing to be involved in the lives of His creation.
- He has accomplished this through His Son Jesus Christ who is God incarnate, Immanuel, God "with us."
- Jesus is the exact representation of the Father.
- The Father has redeemed those who will believe in His Son as the only atoning sacrifice for sin.
- God makes it possible to be connected with Him through His Holy Spirit who is God "in us."
- His Spirit is our comforter, teacher and guide. He leads us into truth and is God's guarantee of His presence with us until the end of our lives.
- The Garden of Eden was real and our fore bearers made a decision of disobedience recorded in Genesis that affected the human family. Original sin is a reality.
- God gave the plan of redemption, the sacrifice of His Son, as the payment for the debt owed a Holy God for such an offense.
Beyond this, you need to have a command on why Christians believe the Bible to be God's Word to us. And you also need to know the evidence that confirms the fact His Word is trustworthy and true. You need to know how to answer the basic secular attacks of our day that cause people to doubt that God's Word is the true starting point of our worldview.
This is just an example to show you how your Christian worldview must start with the content we gain from the truths revealed in Scripture about God, His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. They are the building blocks upon which your worldview is built. To not understand them or to understand them wrongly is to build a faulty foundation. Christians must think clearly and Scriptually about the basic tenets of theism if their worldview is to be Biblical.
Please join us next week as we examine the worldview of Naturalism - the basis for Secular Humanism - which has caused much death and destruction throughout the world.
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Over the next four weeks we will investigate the two main worldviews vying for our hearts and minds - Christianity and Naturalism. In our previous series titled "Two Kingdoms: Light & Darkness," we examined the spiritual realities of light (God) & darkness (Satan) outlined in the Holy Scriptures and how they are at odds with each other as we decide for ourselves which we will follow, ultimately determining our eternal destiny once we pass from this physical life. In this new series, it is my hope that we will learn and discern the difference between these two worldviews and how we might respond to them. Enjoy!
What in the World is a Worldview?
"Worldview" is really philosophical term and was first used by German philosophers. In German, the word is weltanshung. Generally, it refers to how we view reality and life. In order for the concept of worldview to have significance for us, it pays to see what scholars have said about it, and how they define it. Dr. James W. Sire, in The Universe Next Door gives this definition:
"A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being".
Though not originally a "Christian" word, Christian philosophers and theologians have used the word to help Christians understand that Christian faith is intended to be a framework (built upon the authority of the Word of God), by which we build the correct way of thinking about the reality and core view of life intended by our Creator. Being a Christian is not a matter of having a compartment of life that is religious and others that are secular - with the false idea that such a position is non-religious. In fact, there are ultimately only two religions in the world - you either start with God's Word or man's word.
The Scripture teaches us there is a God who expects us to live the whole of our lives, not part, in correspondence to His truth and purpose for all of life, based on the foundational propositional truths of God's Word.
For those interested in a very scholarly overview of the worldview discussion, one should read the resource titled, Worldview, the History of a Concept, by Dr. David K. Naugle. This book gives us a historical perspective on the various definitions offered by scholars including:
"Worldview" in a Christian perspective implies the objective existence of the trinitarian God whose essential character establishes the moral order of the universe and whose word, wisdom, and law define and govern all aspects of created existence.
The definition of "worldview" is the first step in understanding this important topic, but there is more to it than definition. It is important to understand the "content" of what goes into making a worldview.
In The Universe Next Door, Dr. Sire lists seven basic worldview questions:
"If a worldview can be expressed in propositions, what might they be? Essentially, they are our essential, rock-bottom answers to the following seven questions:
1. What is prime reality - the really real? To this we might answer God, or the gods, or the material cosmos. Our answer here is the most fundamental. It sets the boundaries for the answers that can consistently be given to the other six questions.
2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? Here our answers point to whether we see the world as created or autonomous, as chaotic or orderly, as matter or spirit; or whether we emphasize our subjective, personal relationship to the world or its objectivity apart from us.
3. What is a human being? To this we might answer: a highly complex machine, a sleeping dog, a person made in the image of God or a naked ape.
4. What happens to a person at death? Here we might reply: personal extinction, or transformation to a higher state, or reincarnation, or departure to a shadowy existence on "the other side."
5. Why is it possible to know anything at all? Sample answers include the idea that we are made in the image of an all-knowing God or that consciousness and rationality developed under the contingencies of survival in a long process of evolution.
6. How do we know what is right and wrong? Again, perhaps we are made in the image of a God whose character is good, or right and wrong are determined by human choice alone or what feels good, or the notions simply developed under an impetus toward cultural or physical survival.
7. What is the meaning of human history? To this we might answer: to realize the purposes of God or the gods, to make a paradise on earth, to prepare a people for a life in community with a loving and holy God, and so forth."
So, how does a worldview get developed? Where does it come from? As I stated earlier, in an ultimate sense (as exhibited in Genesis 3 concerning the temptation and fall of mankind), there are really only two worldviews. Either one bases one's thinking on the Word of the One who is perfect, knows everything, who has always been there, who doesn't tell any lies, and has revealed to us what we need to know - or one has to build one's thinking on the fallible word of fallible and sinful man.
Now, we need to understand that there are many versions of these two ultimate worldviews. There are many that will compete for your attention. On what basis is one right? Aren't they all simply a matter of choosing (this would default to the religion of humanism, as humans would be the ultimate authority on the subject)? And further, who is to say one has merit, and others do not? Aren't they all equally valid (again, this would be more humanism)? But even so, these are questions with which we must contend. How will you answer?
According to Dr. Ronald Nash, three major tests should be applied when evaluating worldviews. They are: the test of reason, the test of experience, and the test of practice.
The test of reason has to do with logic - and ultimately the only logical starting point is the infinite God of the Bible (who is the basis for the logic and its existence). In other words, if there is no God of the Bible, there is no basis for logic in the first place. Logic is predictable on the existence of the God of the Bible.
Regarding logic, students should know about the law of non-contradiction as fundamental to our ability to reason. It states: A cannot be B and non-B at the same time and in the same relationship. This is an important philosophic notion in the study of logic. Simply put, it means: two contradictory ideas cannot both be true. Where there is contradiction, one side or the other is in error. Not all ideas are equally valid. To employ the test of reason in worldview development is to determine, among competing ideas, which are reasonable and which we might believe to be true. Ultimately only one passes the test - the rest will exhibit logical fallacies. The only true worldview is that which begins with the infinite Creator God and His written revelation to man.
The test of reason alone is not enough upon which to build the content of a worldview. Dr. Nash says:
"Worldviews must pass not only the test of reason; they must also satisfy the test of experience. Worldviews should be relevant to what we know about the world and ourselves."'
Here is a truth that many students need to connect with: Your experience counts. Sure it is considered subjective, but your experiences in life matter because the knowledge it represents is valuable and pertinent to your life. I am not suggesting that your personal observations are in any sense the exclusive test for developing worldview, but rather is coherence as a whole, where all aspects of reality work together. If your personal experience is your only criteria for developing worldview you are greatly mistaken. I am simply saying that your experience does matter.
The test of practice is how we evaluate our worldview in the circumstances of daily life (i.e., consistency). It is about how we actually live in a practical, down-to-earth way, with the ideas we profess to be true. For example. in an evolutionary worldview, people are merely animals that have no basis in wearing clothes. Yet inconsistently, these evolutionists betray their own worldview by wearing clothes that come from a literal Genesis 3! The question is this: can the ideas and concepts stand up as a real explanation for the way you experience your life, and do they have application beyond your own life?
Please join us next week as we investigate the first of the two main worldviews that are at war for our hearts, minds, and souls - Christianity...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Welcome back. In this final part of this series we will explore the promised future return of Jesus Christ where He will rule and reign over His Kingdom here on earth. Will you be ready?
Jesus Christ's Return
The New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus can return at any moment (Acts 1:11; Titus 2:13; James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7). Jesus' return is imminent because there are no prophecies that need to be fulfilled for that to happen. Jesus said that the Father had appointed Him a kingdom in which the disciples will "eat and drink" with Him (Luke 22:29-30). The disciples thought that the kingdom was to appear immediately (Luke 19:11). Just before Jesus ascended into heaven some of His disciples asked Him, "Lord, will You at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" His answer was that it was not for them to know the times or the seasons of the kingdom (Acts 1:6-7).
This Messianic kingdom was yet future because these believing Jews were about to become part of the church, the body of Christ, which began at Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5) by means of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). The church age intervenes to postpone the kingdom. The church was never prophesied in the Old Testament. It was a mystery (Ephesians 3:3-11). It was never said of the nation of Israel that they were part of Christ's body, the church! After ascending into heaven, two angels addressed the disciples and said:
"This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
Previous to this, Jesus had told them about the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 25:1) and the kingdom God (Mark 1:4); and what would happen when He returned, saying:
"When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory; and before Him shall be gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepard divides his sheep from the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world'" (Matthew 25:31-34).
In Daniel's vision of the progression of world kingdoms, four kings are symbolized as beasts; with the fourth one slain (Daniel 7:11), then Daniel saw the Son receive the kingdom from God the Father:
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
"I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of Days came, and judgement was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Daniel 7:21-22, 27).
The millennial kingdom that God's saints will receive will be an earthly kingdom:
Psalm 2:8; Isaiah 11:9, 42:1-4; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 14:9
Messiah will rule the world in justice:
Isaiah 9:4-5; Jeremiah 23:3-6, 33:15-21
Messiah will rule from Jerusalem:
Isaiah 2:1-3; Zephaniah 3:15-17; Zechariah 8:1-3, 14:4
Messiah will return to the Mount of Olives where He left the earth:
Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11
Creation will be returned to the state it was before the fall:
Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:6-9, 35:1, 65:18-25
Those who die at age 100 will be considered children:
Isaiah 35:5-6, 65:20
God will recall the Jews a second time from all the lands of their dispersion back to Israel:
Isaiah 14:1-3; Jeremiah 23:6-8, 32:37-40, 33:7; Ezekiel 36:16-38, 37:22-25
God will rebuild the temple:
Zechariah 6:12-13
Christ will come in judgment:
Psalm 96:13; Isaiah 63:1-6, 65:15-16; Malachi 3:1-4; Revelation 19:11-21
Christ will root out all causes of sin:
Matthew 13:41
Satan and the fallen angels will be put in prison so they are unable to deceive anyone during the millennial kingdom age:
Isaiah 24:21-23; Revelation 20:2-3
Theological knowledge will be common:
Habakkuk 2:14
The new nation or millennial kingdom of Israel will be born in one day:
Isaiah 66:7-9
The church will reign with Christ during this kingdom age:
1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:11-12
Nowhere does the Bible teach that Jesus' second coming will take place after the world has become a better place because ostensibly most people will eventually be converted to Christianity. This false, post-millennial eschatological view was developed by Daniel Whitby (1638-1726), a wayward Unitarian clergyman of the church of England, and embraced by the modernists of the late nineteenth century. This idea was also used to sell World War I to Americans as "the war to end all wars."
Jesus said:
"And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you are not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet" (Matthew 24:6).
Paul warns:
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Significant influences in changing people's biblical beliefs began with the European Renaissance. It was the arts, theater, music, media and public education which touched and remolded the thinking of the masses. The masses weren't touched directly by philosophy. Philosophical humanism was birthed in the academic halls attended by the elite; and it was called "higher education." Well, things are not what they appear to be!
Satan and his demons have been so effective in disguising and camouflaging his schemes. Most Christians are just as deceived as unbelievers as to how his evil strategies work in this world. First century believers were seriously warned by both Peter and Jude (2 Peter 2:1, 3:16-17; Jude 4).
Through the ages, Satan's deliberate lies and deceptions have often neutralized Christians in this world. Until the Lord says, "Enough," Satan will continue his grand deception. Twenty-first century existential postmodern humanism has been used by Satan to beguile both unbelievers and "new evangelicals." The latter have recast their own image so that they have now become postmodern in their misguided attempt to reach the postmodern culture! There is definitely nothing new under the sun.
However, no matter how dark things may get on earth for God's people, we must never forget that Jesus is coming again to rescue His church prior to His tribulation judgment. This judgment will be upon a sinful and Christ-rejecting world that chooses to live in Satan's kingdom of darkness. This tribulation period is the last seven years of the 490 years, the seventy sevens spoken of by Daniel, which God gave to the nation of Israel to conclude precisely accurate prophesied world history (Daniel 9:24-26).
The church is "caught up" and gathered to our Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1) prior to this tribulation period:
Acts 1:6-7, 11; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 3:10 with Revelation 14:8, 19, 15:1; Revelation 16; Revelation 19.
God's purposes through the tribulation period (Daniel 9:24-26) are to:
1. End the church age with the rapture.
2. Conclude the age of Israel with Messiah Jesus Christ's second advent.
3. Judge the peoples of this world for their crimes (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 8-19).
4. Destroy Satan's kingdom on earth (Daniel 2:34-35).
5. Bring in Jesus Christ's kingdom and its righteousness; He will physically and literally return to earth to judge and inaugurate his kingdom at His second advent:
1 Chronicles 16:31-33; Psalm 9:8, 82:8, 96:13, 98:9; Isaiah 24:1, 21:23, 26:21, 66:15-16; Zechariah 14:1-5; Malachi 3:1-5; Matthew 13:41, 24:30-31, 25:30; Acts 1:11; 1 John 2:28; Revelation 19:11-21, 22:12
The kingdom of heaven on earth will come with the sounding of the seventh angel:
"The kingdom of this world has become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" Revelation 11:15b; Daniel 2:44, 7:21-22).
At the end of the millennial kingdom age (1000 years), Satan, his demons and all unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death; it is spiritual and eternal separation from God (Revelation 20:10, 14-15).
How glorious it will be when we hear a loud voice from heaven saying:
"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people. God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:3-4 NKJV).
"Therefore, comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:18 NKJV).
Obviously, what is happening in thew world today is the dark work of Satan, the god of this world, who is nearing his day of judgment.
"But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).
Closing Truths:
This is the truth we find in the sovereign God revealed in nature and in His Word, the Bible. This is the reality of the One who made these claims:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known me, you would have known My Father" (John 14:6-7).
"Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, 'You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'" (John 8:31-32).
The Bible says that:
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)
And that all are therefore subject to:
"Eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
But the good news is that God has done something about it!
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Jesus Christ the Creator, though totally sinless, suffered on behalf of mankind, the penalty of mankind's sin, which is death and eternal separation from God. He did this to satisfy the righteous demands of the holiness and justice of God, His Father.
Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice; He died on the Cross, but on the third day He rose again, conquering death, so that all who truly believe in Him, repent of their sins and trust in Him (rather than their own merit) are able to come back to God and live for eternity with their Creator.
Therefore:
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18 NKJV).
What a wonderful Savior and what a wonderful salvation in Christ Jesus our Creator!
My friends, this is not an option - it is essential for our salvation, our survival, and for the integrity of our witness in the world. Time is running out. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so today, before it is too late! If I can be of help to you in understanding God's promises of His Salvation plan, please do not hesitate to ask!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
Hello Friends!
Welcome back. This week we will examine the Kingdom of Light defined in the Holy Scriptures and how it is superior to that of the darkness of this world... Enjoy!
The Kingdom of Light
The presence of God's kingdom is characterized by light:
Psalm 27:1, 119:105; Proverbs 29:13; Isaiah 2:5, 9:2, 60:1; Matthew 4:16; Luke 16:8; John 1:4, 9, 3:19-21, 8:12, 12:46; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5, 7; Revelation 21:23.
As we discussed last week, Satan's kingdom is characterized by darkness:
Psalm 107:10-11; Luke 22:53; John 3:19; Ephesians 5:8, 6:12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9
There are two divine kingdoms mentioned in the Bible: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of God is the practical sphere of God's rule (Psalm 22:28, 145:13; Daniel 4:25). That is the place where God's will is always done. This is a spiritual kingdom rather than a physical kingdom, and Christian believers are the subjects of this spiritual kingdom. However, this physical earth and its immediate heavens are the scene of universal rebellion against God (1 John 5:19; Revelation 11:15-18, 12:13).
Therefore, the actual sphere of God's rule is wherever His rule is acknowledged; it is in the highest heaven and in the hearts of His believing children. It is not coerced. It includes the angels that did not rebel and born again people who belong to God. God's rule has been acknowledged in the hearts of His children throughout the ages. This kingdom now is really a spiritual kingdom, in that it exists spiritually and not materially. It includes all those who have acknowledged the rule of God through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for their sins.
Jesus said:
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23 NKJV).
The expression "kingdom of heaven," or literally, "of the heavens," is one that is peculiar to Matthew's gospel. It refers to the rule of the heavens, i.e., the rule of the God of heaven over the earth as illustrated in Daniel (Daniel 2:44, 4:25, 32). The kingdom of heaven is similar in many respects to the kingdom of God and is often used synonymously with it; though emphasizing certain features of divine government. When contrasted with the universal kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven includes only men on earth, excluding angels and other creatures.
The kingdom of heaven is the earthly sphere of people who profess faith in Jesus. It includes those designated as wheat and tares; the latter are cast out of the kingdom (Matthew 13:47). The kingdom of heaven is also compared to a net containing both the good and bad fish which are later separated (Matthew 13:47).
The kingdom of heaven is revealed in three aspects. First, it is "at hand" (Matthew 4:17). The kingdom is offered in the person of the King, of whom John the Baptist was the forerunner (Matthew 3:1).
Secondly, this kingdom is being fulfilled in the present age. The kingdom of heaven is presented in seven mysteries (Matthew 13), revealing the character of the rule of heaven over the earth between the first and second coming of Jesus.
Thirdly, this kingdom is fulfilled after the second coming of Jesus. The kingdom of heaven will be realized in the future millennial kingdom predicted by Daniel (Daniel 2:34-36, 44-45) and covenanted to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Zechariah 12:8). This millennial form of the kingdom of heaven will be wholly future and will be set up after the return of Jesus (Matthew 24:29-25:46; Acts 15:14-17).
The kingdom had been prophesied to Israel for over a thousand years before the first advent of Jesus Christ (2 Samuel 7:11-17; Psalm 89:20-37). The Jews looked forward to the kingdom which God had promised to them (Matthew 11:12; Luke 1:33, 12:32; Acts 1:6; Hebrews 12:28). Many Jews were expecting the imminent appearance of their Messiah just prior and during the time that Jesus was born (Luke 2:25, 36-38, 23:51).
A large body of extra-biblical apocalyptic literature was written by Jews during this period. Jewish sects, like the Essenes, sprang up in Israel during this time. These writings show that the Jews expected a literal physical kingdom to be inaugurated by God; when the nation of Israel, with Jerusalem, would be the center of world rule by the Messiah.
Even a vocabulary had developed regarding the kingdom age in the first century BC. The term "eternal life" or "everlasting life" was well known during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. Nowhere is this term defined in Scripture; nor was Jesus ever asked what He meant by it. We can conclude that everyone in Israel knew the term.
God had prepared that age for the advent of the Messiah in many ways (Galatians 4:4). This term "eternal life" is found in the Jewish rabbinical writings and is basically eschatological in outlook. The rabbis used to refer to the "life in the age that is eternal," referring to the kingdom age and the eternal state. Life in the kingdom age, or in the age to come, is eternal in quality, free from the limitations of time, decay, evil and sin.
The prophesied kingdom was offered to Israel by Jesus (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 23; Mark 1:15) at His first advent. But they rejected Him as Messiah; and so rejected the kingdom as well (Matthew 23:37-39). Referring to Himself as the King, Jesus said to the Jews, "The kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (Luke 17:21). The "you" in the Greek is plural, which rules out the meaning that the kingdom is inside each of you, singular.
Paul clearly stated that God has not cast away His people, Israel (Romans 11:1-2). Thus the church cannot be the replacement for Israel. Christians must be careful not to expropriate promises made to the nation of Israel for themselves or the church! That is the error of replacement theology.
The covenants still belong to Israel (Romans 9:4). Israel is only temporarily set aside because of their unbelief (Romans 11:20). In the future millennial kingdom, God will deal with Israel as a nation and fulfill the promised Old Testament covenants with them (Romans 11:26-27). The Abrahamic covenant is the dominant covenant of Scripture (Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-17, 15:4-6, 12-20, 17:1-2; Romans 4:13-25; Hebrews 11:8-22, 39-40) and is superior to the Mosaic covenant.
The very name Israel means "governed by God" (Genesis 32:28-30). So when Paul says, "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Romans 9:6); Paul is saying not all Jews are governed by God, even if they use the name Israel. Jews who are governed by God have put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, their Messiah. Paul said:
"It is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16).
Therefore, the apostle could also say "And so all Israel shall be saved" (Romans 11:26) because Jews who believed in Jesus Christ as their Messiah were governed by God. The Jews who were not saved used the name Israel even though they were not truly governed by God. Today this is still true of the Jews.
Please join us next week as we conclude this important series by investigating the promised return of Jesus Christ prophesied in the Scriptures...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
